Chapter 21: Social Movements and Social Change

acting crowds:

crowds of people who are focused on a specific action or goal

collective behavior:

a noninstitutionalized activity in which several people voluntarily engage

resistance movements:

those who seek to prevent or undo change to the social structure

21.3 Social Change

There are numerous and varied causes of social change. Four common causes, as recognized by social scientists, are technology, social institutions, population, and the environment. All four of these areas can impact when and how society changes. And they are all interrelated: a change in one area can lead to changes throughout. Modernization is a typical result of social change. Modernization refers to the process of increased differentiation and specialization within a society, particularly around its industry and infrastructure. While this assumes that more modern societies are better, there has been significant pushback on this western-centric view that all peripheral and semi-peripheral countries should aspire to be like North America and Western Europe.

social movement:

a purposeful organized group hoping to work toward a common social goal

motivational framing:

a call to action

flash mob:

a large group of people who gather together in a spontaneous activity that lasts a limited amount of time

assembling perspective:

a theory that credits individuals in crowds as behaving as rational thinkers and views crowds as engaging in purposeful behavior and collective action

casual crowds:

people who share close proximity without really interacting

crowdsourcing:

the process of obtaining needed services, ideas, or content by soliciting contributions from a large group of people

modernization:

the process that increases the amount of specialization and differentiation of structure in societies

4. The protesters at the Egypt uprising rally were: a. a casual crowd b. a conventional crowd c. a mass d. an acting crowd

D

reform movements:

movements that seek to change something specific about the social structure

revolutionary movements:

movements that seek to completely change every aspect of society

religious/redemptive movements:

movements that work to promote inner change or spiritual growth in individuals

1. Which of the following organizations is not an example of a social movement? a. National Football League b. Tea Party c. Greenpeace d. NAACP

A

11. If a movement claims that the best way to reverse climate change is to reduce carbon emissions by outlawing privately owned cars, "outlawing cars" is the ________. a. prognostic framing b. diagnostic framing c. motivational framing d. frame transformation

A

12. Children in peripheral nations have little to no daily access to computers and the Internet, while children in core nations are constantly exposed to this technology. This is an example of: a. the digital divide b. human ecology c. modernization theory d. dependency theory

A

13. When sociologists think about technology as an agent of social change, which of the following is not an example? a. Population growth b. Medical advances c. The Internet d. Genetically engineered food

A

16. In addition to social movements, social change is also caused by technology, social institutions, population, ​and ______. a. the environment b. modernization c. social structure d. new social movements

A

8. While PETA is a social movement organization, taken together, the animal rights social movement organizations PETA, ALF, and Greenpeace are a __________. a. social movement industry b. social movement sector c. social movement party d. social industry

A

3. Which of the following is an example of collective behavior? a. A soldier questioning orders b. A group of people interested in hearing an author speak c. A class going on a field trip d. Going shopping with a friend

B

14. China is undergoing a shift in the industry, increasing labor specialization and the amount of differentiation present in the social structure. This exemplifies: a. human ecology b. dependency theory c. modernization d. conflict perspective

C

2. Sociologists using conflict perspective might study what? a. How social movements develop b. What social purposes a movement serves c. What motivates inequitably treated people to join a movement d. What individuals hope to gain from taking part in a social movement

C

5. According to emergent-norm theory, crowds are: a. irrational and impulsive b. often misinterpreted and misdirected c. able to develop their own definition of the situation d. prone to criminal behavior

C

6. A boy throwing rocks during a demonstration might be an example of ___________. a. structural conduciveness b. structural strain c. precipitating factors d. mobilization for action

C

7. If we divide social movements according to their positions among all social movements in a society, we are using the __________ theory to understand social movements. a. framing b. new social movement c. resource mobilization d. value-added

C

9. Social movements are: a. disruptive and chaotic challenges to the government b. ineffective mass movements c. the collective action of individuals working together in an attempt to establish new norms beliefs, or values d. the singular activities of a collection of groups working to challenge the status quo

C

21.1 Collective Behavior

Collective behavior is noninstitutionalized activity in which several people voluntarily engage. There are three different forms of collective behavior: crowd, mass, and public. There are three main theories on collective behavior. The first, the emergent-norm perspective, emphasizes the importance of social norms in crowd behavior. The next, the value-added theory, is a functionalist perspective that states that several preconditions must be in place for collective behavior to occur. Finally the assembling perspective focuses on collective action rather than collective behavior, addressing the processes associated with crowd behavior and the lifecycle and various categories of gatherings.

10. When the League of Women Voters successfully achieved its goal of women being allowed to vote, they had to undergo frame __________, a means of completely changing their goals to ensure continuing relevance. a. extension b. amplification c. bridging d. transformation

D

15. Core nations that work to propel peripheral nations toward modernization need to be aware of: a. preserving peripheral nation cultural identity b. preparing for pitfalls that come with modernization c. avoiding hegemonistic assumptions about modernization d. all of the above

D

21.2 Social Movements

Social movements are purposeful, organized groups, either with the goal of pushing toward change, giving political voice to those without it, or gathering for some other common purpose. Social movements intersect with environmental changes, technological innovations, and other external factors to create social change. There are a myriad of catalysts that create social movements, and the reasons that people join are as varied as the participants themselves. Sociologists look at both the macro- and microanalytical reasons that social movements occur, take root, and ultimately succeed or fail.

crowd:

a fairly large number of people who share close proximity

value-added theory:

a functionalist perspective theory that posits that several preconditions must be in place for collective behavior to occur

emergent norm theory:

a perspective that emphasizes the importance of social norms in crowd behavior

mass:

a relatively large group with a common interest, even if they may not be in close proximity

social movement organization:

a single social movement group

diagnostic framing:

a the social problem that is stated in a clear, easily understood manner

new social movement theory:

a theory that attempts to explain the proliferation of postindustrial and postmodern movements that are difficult to understand using traditional social movement theories

resource mobilization theory:

a theory that explains social movements' success in terms of their ability to acquire resources and mobilize individuals

public:

an unorganized, relatively diffuse group of people who share ideas

expressive crowds:

crowds who share opportunities to express emotions

social movement sector:

multiple social movement industries in a society, even if they have widely varying constituents and goals

NGO:

nongovernmental organizations working globally for numerous humanitarian and environmental causes

conventional crowds:

people who come together for a regularly scheduled event

alternative movements:

social movements that limit themselves to self-improvement changes in individuals

prognostic framing:

social movements that state a clear solution and a means of implementation

social change:

the change in a society created through social movements as well as through external factors like environmental shifts or technological innovations

social movement industry:

the collection of the social movement organizations that are striving toward similar goals

frame alignment process:

using bridging, amplification, extension, and transformation as an ongoing and intentional means of recruiting participants to a movement